15 players the Texas Rangers could look at before the trade deadline

If the Texas Rangers can't land Heath Bell, will Minnesota Twins reliever Matt Capps be the consolation prize? (AP/Genevieve Ross)

For those who listened to the podcast today, I told you I’d have a trade board put up tonight with some of the names you could see mentioned in connection with the Rangers and even a few you might not see.

What follows are a list names from the most important names and players the Rangers should go after to players who could be less likely.

Here’s the very first “Scooping the Texas Rangers” trade board:

Heath Bell (CL, San Diego Padres) – Absolutely needs to be the No. 1 guy Nolan Ryan and Jon Daniels need to go after. He makes an immediate impact in the Rangers bullpen.

Tyler Clippard (RP, Washington Nationals) – 26-year-old right-hander who has given up only 2 ER in his last 16.2 IP. Won’t cost much as far as top prospects in return and is someone the Rangers can build upon for the next few years.

Mike Adams (RP, San Diego Padres) – One word: expensive. He’s going to cost at least two top prospects and both are going to be pitchers. If Heath Bell gets taken off the board by another team, this guy would be the next best thing.

Wandy Rodriguez (SP, Houston Astros) – Another expensive trade piece but someone the Rangers would love to have in their rotation. Are a top prospect and two mid-level players too expensive for the Rangers’ blood?

Joel Hanrahan (CL, Pittsburgh Pirates) – Pirates are still in the race and it looks as if trading Joel Hanrahan is becoming less and less likely. Not out of the realm of possibility but not as likely as it was a few weeks ago.

Carlos Beltran (OF, New York Mets) – Rangers won’t be able to add him and still go get the reliever and No. 3 or No. 4 starter they need. I’d love to add him to the lineup but total cost would be too high.

Hiroki Kuroda (SP, Los Angeles Dodgers) – His numbers are inflated due to pitching in a bad NL West division. Not sure he’s as good as his 3.06 ERA

Joakim Soria (CL, Kansas City Royals) – I used to be sold on Soria especially how he performed last season. He’s not been the same pitcher and, to me, he’s not the guy the Rangers need or want.

Matt Capps (RP, Minnesota Twins) – Matt Capps has experience both in the AL as well as the NL. He’s a veteran who knows how to come in to close games as well as being a closer. Good experience to have.

Jeremy Guthrie (SP, Baltimore Orioles) – Has been with a lackluster Orioles franchise his entire career and a change of scenery might do him some good.

Luke Gregerson (RP, San Diego Padres) – A solid reliever for the Padres, but one has to wonder if his numbers are as good as they are because of Petco Park. Has the same pitching delivery as Darren O’Day but better stuff.

Koji Uehara (RP, Baltimore Orioles) – A reliever who’s been mentioned in connection with the Rangers before, but there are far better names higher up on the list than this guy. Things would have to go really wrong for Texas for them to turn to Uehara.

Nick Hundley (C, San Diego Padres) – Rangers have Napoli, Torrealba and Teagarden as their catchers. Napoli being the only one who has any offensive pop in his bat at all. They can, but probably won’t, add a catcher at the deadline, but with Hundley out 3-6 weeks after undergoing surgery on his right elbow, he is really unlikely to be moved by San Diego.

Jonathan Sanchez (SP, San Francisco Giants) – Rangers need a starter and the Giants need catching depth. These two teams would seem to be a match but I don’t know that the Giants would give up Sanchez for either Torrealba or Teagarden.

Aaron Harang (SP, San Diego Padres) – Veteran starter but has shown his struggles in hitters ballparks especially when he was a starter for the Cincinnati Reds. Not sure that’s something the Rangers need. They already have pitchers who give up far too many home runs.

Todd Kaufmann is a freelance writer who, since moving to Texas in 2008, has covered everything from minor league baseball, the PGA Tour, college football, to the Texas Rangers themselves. He and his wife currently reside near Mansfield, Texas with their yellow lab ironically named...Ranger. You can follow him on Twitter @T_Kaufmann as well as on Facebook